Our First Trip To Xcalak, Mexico

It seems like only yesterday I was in deep East Texas waking up every morning chilly, cranky from not enough sunlight and distracted by the siren’s call of the ocean. Work around the house not getting done, work (at my real job) not being enjoyed and a general feeling of malaise.I think I discovered the cure. The cure involves flying to an island in the Caribbean, a “colectivo” bus ride, a ferry ride, a 4 1/2 hour rental car ride, this time largely on questionable roads but it is still a cure. Xcalak, Mexico.We are now about as far south as you can go on the Caribbean shore of Mexico. Just a few miles from the Belize border. Xcalak, Quinatna Roo,

Mexico; population 400. No telephone, no television, no power grid, no gas stations or grocery stores. We are away.We do have fresh coffee, all the ingredients for “Boat Drinks”, crystal clear water, tropical breezes, powdery white sand and high speed internet. This is not too bad.

In 2011 Jonathan Look decided to change his life and pursue adventures instead of comfort and possessions. His goal is to travel the world solo; one country at a time, one year at a time. To accomplish this he got rid of most of his possessions, packed up what little he saw as necessities and headed out. His goal is to spend ten years discovering new places, meeting new people and taking the time to learn about them, their values and their place on this tiny planet. He embraces the philosophy that says a person is the sum of their experiences and rejects the fraud of modern consumerism that makes people into slaves of their consumption. He doesn't intend to be modern day ascetic, just more mindful of his place in the world and to make decisions according to that new standard.

In 2011 I sold everything I owned, took early retirement and began traveling the world. It was a pretty radical step, but after living a rather typical American life, a life based on seeking comforts and accumulating possessions, I longed for adventure and experiences far more than holding on to my “stuff.”

I started this blog to demonstrate to my fellow baby boomers that the world is not some scary place to fear, but it is an amazing place, full of adventure, that is still open and available to those who are motivated and curious enough to go out and see it for themselves.